This is a cool new opportunity for one of Seattle’s major art institutions to really be a part of the First Hill community while providing better quality of life for a population that's often all too easily forgotten: those living with dementia, along with their care partners.

The program, called here:now (since memory loss makes it hard to be anywhere else), consists of weekly gallery tours and artmaking. The tours are discussion-based, focusing on different art in the galleries each week, encouraging people to relate to the works through their own experiences. The artmaking is led by teaching artists in the museum's studios, in various mediums and on themes relating to the discussions.

There's nothing else like this in Washington state—here:now was partially inspired by a similar program at the Museum of Modern Art, one of the first museums to develop curricula for people with dementia. It began at the Frye last fall as a three-month pilot in partnership with the Washington chapter of the Alzheimer's Association as well as Elderwise, a Seattle-based nonprofit focused on cultural enrichment for seniors. In the future, here:now plans to add public lectures.

Know someone who might benefit? Just curious? Here's more information.